”A LEOPARD,” said Greg Rudd of his brother Kevin, ”doesn’t change his spots.”
Greg Rudd was musing on the question of whether his brother would exact revenge upon those who removed him from the prime ministership if, as he expects, he is restored to the top job.
”Hell hath no fury,” he said when asked if an olive branch might be offered.
Mr Rudd believes his younger brother is most likely to replace Julia Gillard by February at the latest.
But Kevin Rudd, PM, won’t have a political ally in his brother. Mr Rudd, 58, a lobbyist who announced this week he would stand for a Queensland Senate seat as an independent. He told the Herald that he and his politically famous sibling had always disagreed on politics.
”He thinks my style is weak and I think his has no longevity,” he said. ”I have friends on all sides of politics and a certain relative of mine is far more dictatorial in his approach.”
His assessment of the government’s prospects at the next election? ”Labor is dead meat,” Mr Rudd said. However, he allows that brother Kevin is the only hope if Labor is to avoid a wipeout at the ballot box.
”It is very much still in internal discussion mode but it is ramping up,” he told the Herald. ”Some who hate Kevin say, ‘Well if I’m going to lose my seat then I
want him to lose his too.’ Many others believe he will help the party and save some seats.
”They’ll make the decision over Christmas. And Kevin is the only alternative.”
Did he believe Kevin Rudd’s mood and style would change?
”A leopard doesn’t change his spots, so Kevin is who Kevin is,” Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd was adamant the former prime minister would not challenge again but ”he’ll definitely take it if they ask”.
It is the first time Greg Rudd has opened up in detail over his relationship with his brother. The pair have not spoken since May 2010.
There are two Kevins, he says.
”As a brother I get along with Kevin fine and I love him,” he said. ”Kevin is very mellow. In person, he is a top bloke, very friendly, charismatic and gets along with everyone.
”That’s why people who know him find it hard to believe that he loses his temper and throws things and yells and shouts. But as a politician, he has and he does.”
A spokesman for Kevin Rudd said the Labor MP would be supporting the ALP Senate ticket. The spokesman declined to comment on Greg Rudd’s views on his brother.
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